Coffee Review – Vietnamese Legendee Classic

The coffee we are trying this week is Legendee Classic Whole Bean from Trung Nguyen (http://www.trung-nguyen-online.com). It is described as being grown in Vietnam and as one of the best coffees made in Vietnam today. It is a blend of peaberries and robusta with a correspondingly darker flavor that ices well. The Vietnamese roasting style uses a small amount of clarified butter oil to assist in the slow, circulating roasting process.

One of our favorite restaurants serves only Vietnamese food. We found it about three years ago and the first time there we had Vietnamese style coffee. We liked it so much we went out and bought the single cup coffee brewers and the specific coffee that the restaurant used. We have since made our version at home many times with each other and with friends. So we were looking forward to trying this coffee.

First up was the auto-drip and when I opened the bag there is a spicy aroma that meets you. The beans are two different shades as some of the beans are roasted darker than the others. The directions that came with the coffee suggest using 50% to 25% less coffee than you normally use per 6 ounces of water because Vietnamese coffees are very rich and make more brewed coffee than American brands.

This coffee is intriguing and I wasn’t sure what flavors I tasted with the first sip. There is a buttery taste, but it isn’t overpowering. The coffee has a deep roasted flavor but is not bitter at all and lasts after you swallow it. As the coffee cooled it had a slightly nutty taste. As an iced coffee the buttery taste was gone and the nutty, tangy flavor remained. Kim liked the coffee but I wasn’t sure if I did. We would give it one thumb up.

Next up was the French Press and again there is a distinct aroma that is good. It must be the spice blend, but I almost taste something like licorice and I don’t like licorice. Kim liked the coffee and even took some to work to make in her Vietnamese coffee cup brewer and to share with her co-workers. Kim thought the coffee went really well with a noodle, veggie and tofu dish that she made. She thought the sauce and coffee enhanced each other’s flavors. One thumb up again.

Lastly was the Chemex coffee brewer and I was hoping it would clean the taste up for me. My first sip gets my attention, but I just don’t like the spices that I taste. It seems that the more I drink this coffee the less I like it, but on the flip side, the more Kim drinks it the more she likes it. Only one thumb up again.

One negative to me was how you have to clean the coffee grinder after each time of grinding these beans. The strong aroma lingers also. Some of our friends who like Vietnamese food are really looking forward to trying it. If you are interested in trying a Vietnamese coffee this Legendee Classic Whole Bean is for you. We received this coffee for free and offer objective feedback. Until next time, enjoy the coffee and conversation.